Category Archives: Environment

Arctic Region Underprepared for Maritime Accidents

With the seasonal transit of the Northwest Passage becoming a reality, an increase in Arctic shipping traffic is inevitable. The energy, shipping and cruise industry all see opportunities for their operations in the Arctic Ocean.

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Alaska Glaciers are in Significant Retreat

Research Geologist Bruce Molnia of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has authored a comprehensive report on the condition of glaciers in Alaska that bears an obvious title The Glaciers of Alaska . Glaciers are ubiquitous features of the Alaskan landscape and contribute to our mental image of the Great Land. A disturbing conclusion for [...]

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Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS): Integrated Ocean and Coastal Observation in Alaska

Boaters can look forward to having valuable oceanographic data available to them from multiple sources, in real-time on a single website. It is called AOOS. Mariners like commercial fishermen and recreational boaters need to sift through a great deal of data from many different sites to track the weather environment, visual conditions, and wave states [...]

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EPA Studies Waste Discharges Generated by Smaller Non-Recreational Vessels

Boats can and do discharge a variety of substances into the marine environment. Among these discharges are effluent from engine operations, liquid graywater wastes generated by laundry, galley and shower use, and washdown water from cleaning decks, bilges and fish holds.

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Arctic Fisheries Management Plan Proposed

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service has announced a proposed framework to accomplish this need and are asking the public to comment on the plan for fishing in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.

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Dramatic Arctic Sea Ice Thinning Seen in NASA Satellite Survey

A comprehensive survey of Arctic sea ice shows that shows there has been dramatic thinning between the years of 2004 to 2008. The once dominant and thicker multi-year ice is being supplanted by thinner seasonal ice.

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A Report on the 20th Anniversary of the Good Friday Spill from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC)

In this report to the public, the Trustees detail the status of restoration work, ongoing research efforts, strategies for wildlife habitat protection, and the effect of the spill on people. This report is unique because the Council has made an effort to discuss the impacts of the spill on people linked to the region, and improvements made in oil spill prevention and response technology since the spill.

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Diagnosis: Mercury – Money, Politics, and Poison

Living in the North has its benefits and for the most part it’s a healthy place to live. One unique health factor is our overwhelming consumption of seafood, enjoying the highest per capita consumption of fish and shellfish of any state in the union. Seafood provides incredible nutritional value, with its high protein content, heart [...]

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